Welcome to Saint Matthews, Kentucky

About Saint Matthews:

St. Matthews is a city located in Jefferson County, Kentucky. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 15,852. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 17,374. When the government of Jefferson County merged with the city of Louisville, Kentucky in 2003, citizens of St. Matthews also became citizens of the new Louisville Metro, however, none of the incorporated places in Jefferson County were affected.

St. Matthews was first settled in 1779 by Colonial John Floyd. The town developed at the same time as nearby Louisville, Kentucky, centered around the intersection of Breckenridge Lane, Shelbyville Road and Westport Road. By 1840 it was known as Gilman's Point, after local tavern owner Daniel Gilman. The name St. Matthews emerged in 1850, after the area's first church, St. Matthews Episcopal Church. It became official in 1851 when a newly opened post office adopted the name. The oldest remaining church is Holy Trinity, built in 1882 on the site of present day Trinity High School.

The community was connected by the Louisville, Lexington & Cincinnati Railroad, built in the mid-1800s, and a later railroad connecting Louisville to Anchorage and Middletown. St. Matthews was heavilly agricultural well into the 20th century, from 1910 to 1946 home to the St. Matthews Produce Exchange, which was once the second-largest potato shipper in the country.

During the first half of the 20th century, the farms were gradually subdivided. The original landowners names, such as Brown, Rudy, Nanz, Monahan and Oeschner, have been leant to many of the local streets. The town's first bank was founded in 1905, and a modern shopping district began developing in the 1920s that would include the landmark Vogue Theatre, opened in 1938.

Growth of the area was sped up even faster by the 1937 flood, which lead many families to literally move to higher ground. St. Matthews incorporated as a city in 1950, partially to address infrastructure problems and build a sewer system. The Mall in St. Matthews, Louisville's first true indoor shopping mall, opened around this time.

Its boundaries are roughly Cannons Lane to the west, I-264 and to the south and east, and several subdivisions off of Brownsboro Road to the north. These include Bellewood, Brownsboro Village, Maryhill Estates and Windy Hills. The cities of Richlawn and Norbourne Estates are located within St. Matthews.

Saint Matthews Geography:

St. Matthews is located at 38°14'60" North, 85°38'33" West (38.249931, -85.642613).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 10.4 km2 (4.0 mi2). 10.4 km2 (4.0 mi2) of it is land and none of it is covered by water.

Saint Matthews Demographics:

As of the census of 2000, there are 15,852 people, 7,978 households, and 3,661 families residing in the city. The population density is 1,518.7/km2 (3,938.3/mi2). There are 8,537 housing units at an average density of 817.9/km2 (2,121.0/mi2). The racial makeup of the city is 90.32% White, 4.95% African American, 0.15% Native American, 2.62% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.59% from other races, and 1.36% from two or more races. 1.69% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 7,978 households out of which 19.0% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.9% are married couples living together, 8.4% have a female householder with no husband present, and 54.1% are non-families. 45.2% of all households are made up of individuals and 14.1% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 1.94 and the average family size is 2.76.

In the city the population is spread out with 17.0% under the age of 18, 10.2% from 18 to 24, 35.6% from 25 to 44, 20.1% from 45 to 64, and 17.1% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 37 years. For every 100 females there are 86.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 83.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city is $42,219, and the median income for a family is $56,473. Males have a median income of $37,306 versus $31,163 for females. The per capita income for the city is $28,601. 6.7% of the population and 4.9% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 7.8% of those under the age of 18 and 5.4% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.